Re: To be or not to be - what sort of question is that?

Dgates says...
> Edgar De Blieck wrote:
> 
> >PUZZLE:
> >
> >Think of a question which *everyone* of average adult intelligence who has
> >ever lived would believe they were able to answer correctly, but would
> >actually answer incorrectly.
> 
> My first thought (reading the puzzle incorrectly) was that I couldn't
> possibly come up with such a question because, by its very nature, if
> everyone would get it wrong, then this elusive fact is probably
> fooling me as well.
> 
> Then I noticed the word "average" and started thinking, "Well, how
> high an IQ can a person have and still be 'of average adult
> intelligence'?"
> 
> Then I read Kevin Stone's cute answer ("are you a good driver") and it
> reminded me of the odd fact that far more than half of the people you
> ask will claim that, in terms of driving skills, they are "above
> average" (when, by definition, it isn't possible for more than 50% of
> drivers to be "above average.")

That depends on which average you're taking. I suppose, though, that when 
one is referring to a driving average, taking the median is appropriate. 

(After staring at the puzzle for a minute, I was hoping that "aver" and 
"average" had a common etymology, but after a quick search, I'm not 
sure.) 

> All that said, how about this question:
> "In terms of intelligence, would you say that you're above average?"

If the person says "no", they're answering correctly, no? 

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